The king said:

1. OṀ. Blessed one, you have told me about Ma Caṇḍikā’s Manifestations. Be pleased, O knower of what is sacred, to speak of their essential nature.
2. Accepting my reverence, O twice-born, tell me everything of The Devī’s True Being, and by what manner, by which ritual I am to worship.

The seer said:

• This is the supreme secret, and it is said that it should not be divulged. But look how devoted you are! There is nothing I would not tell you, O king.
• First and foremost Is MahāLakṣmī, Who Holds the three forces of creation. She Is The Supreme Sovereign. She Is both defined by Form and Indefinably Formless; having Manifested in every way, She Abides in everything.
• She Holds A Citron, Mace, Shield, and Drinking Vessel. On Her Head, O king, She Bears a Serpent, Linga, and Yoni.
• Her Complexion Is the Color of Molten Gold, And Like Molten Gold, Her Ornaments shine. She Filled the entire void with Her Radiant Light.
• Seeing the entire universe a void, The Supreme Sovereign Conceived a Surpassing Form through Her Power of tamas.
• She Became A Woman, Shining Black Like Collyrium, Teeth Glistening In Her Lovely Mouth, Her Eyes Wide, Her Waist Slender,
• Her Four Hands Adorned With Sword, Drinking-Cup, Head, And Shield, Her Neck Garlanded With Strands Of Headless Torsoes and A Necklace Made Of Skulls.
• The Dark One, This Fairest Of Women, Asked MahaLakṣmī, “Mother, Give Me My Names And Deeds. Salutations to You Again And Again.”
• MahāLakṣmī Answered Her, The Dark One Fairest Among Women, “I Give You The Names [You Will Be Known By] And The Actions [You Will Perform].
• MahāMāyā, MahāKālī, Mahāmārī, Ksudhā, Trsā, Nidrā, Trsṇā, Ekavirā, Kālarātri, Duratyayā—
• These Are Your Names, and their meanings will be revealed By Your Actions. Understanding Your Actions Through Them, whoever reflects on Them will attain happiness.”
• O king, When She Had Spoken To Her Thus, MahāLakṣmī, Through Her Surpassingly Pure Power Known As Sattva, Assumed Another Unequaled Form, Lustrous Like The Moon.
• She Became An Exquisite Woman, Holding Prayer Beads And Goad, Vīṇā, And Book. And To Her MahāLakṣmī Gave Names:
• Mahāvidyā, Mahāvāṇī, Bhāratī, Vāk, Sarasvatī, Āryā, Brāhmī, Kāmadhenu, Vedagarbhā and Dhīśvarī.
• Then MahāLakṣmī said to MahāKālī and MahāSarasvatī: “Goddesses, Bring Forth Couples, male and female, According To Your Own Natures.”
• Having Spoken Thus, MahāLakṣmī Produced Her Own Female And Male Couple, Born Of The Golden Womb, Resplendent, And Seated On A Lotus.
• The Mother Called The Male Brahmā, Vidhi, Virinca, Dhātr; And She Called The Female Srī, Padmā, Kamalā, Lakṣmī.
• Likewise MahāKālī And Bhāratī Each Produced A Couple. I shall tell you Their Forms and Names.
• MahāKālī Brought Forth A Blue-Throated, Red-Armed, White-Limbed, And Moon-Crested Male, And A White Female.
• He is Rudra, Sankara, Sthāṇu, Kapardī, And Trilocana. The Woman Is Trayī, Vidyā, Kāmadhenu, Bhāsāksarā, And Svarā.
• [Mahā]Sarasvatī Brought Forth A Shining White Female And A Blue-Black Male, 0 king. I shall tell you Their Names.
• [His Are] Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, Hrsīkeśa, Vāsudeva, Janārdana; [Hers Are] Umā, Gaurī, Satī, Caṇdī, Sundarī, Subhagā, Śivā.
• In that way, The Three Young Women at once Assumed Maleness. Those who are able to see will certainly see, but not the rest who remain uncomprehending.
• Then, O king, Ma MahāLakṣmī Presented Trayī As A Wife To Brahmā, Gaurī To Rudra, And Srī to Vāsudeva.
• Virinca United With Svarā And Created An Egg. The Blessed, Heroic Rudra, Together With Gauri, Broke It Open.
• Within The Egg, O king, Was The Primary Matter, Destined To Evolve Into All The Universe, moving and unmoving, Consisting of the five gross elements.
• Keśava, Together With Ma Lakṣmī, Nourished And Protected It. Maheśvara, Along With Ma Gauri, Dissolved all the universe.
• O great king, MahāLakṣmī Is The Supreme Sovereign, The True Essence Of all that is. She Is Both Formless And With Form, Bearing Various Names.
• She Can Be Described by Different Names, yet by no other name [Can She Truly Be Known].